A Different Way
by Nuclear Sheep
Summary: Tony was disowned by his father because he was a mutant.


When Tony was little his father had been different. Anthony DiNozzo Sr was still distant and often gone, but when he did spend time with Tony everything was right. One of Tony's favourite memories was going to the movies with his father. Back then, Tony loved his father.

Everything changed when Tony was eight. His mother killed herself. She had been depressed for a long time and tried to fix her illness with alcohol. After that Tony's father flinched every time he saw his son. He looked a lot like his mother. This resulted in the beginning of Tony's trek through the various prestigious boarding schools all over the east coast. He never ever saw his father. Tony came to the conclusion that any attention was better than no attention at all, so he started acting out. His academic record was still perfect as Tony was very intelligent, but the number of disciplinary marks in his record grew steadily. Tony ended up at at military academy.

When Tony was fifteen he lost his father forever. He got into a fight with an older student. Tony had bitten off more than he could chew, though. His opponent was the champion of the schools boxing team and making mince meat out of Tony. Tony feared for his life. Then things got weird. With his last strength he shoved his opponent. And pushed him clear across the room.

After that the other students avoided him and started whispering that he was a mutant. A month later his father finally showed up. His only words were that DiNozzos were not mutants. Tony never saw his father again. He was not surprised when he got the letter telling him of his disownment.

* * *

><p>Tony stood at the gates of the Rhode Island Military Academy, wondering where he should go next. Because the fees had been paid for the year he had been allowed to stay on after what he called The Incident. Because the fight hadn't been his fault <em>this time<em>, he had dodged expulsion by a hair. They wouldn't let him come back next year, though.

He was going through a mental list of all the people he might be able to call when a very nice black limousine pulled up in front of him. The windows rolled down and an older bald man looked out.

"Good morning mister DiNozzo. My name is Charles Xavier. Could you spare a moment of your time?" The man said.

"Sure, I have nothing but time. How do you know my name?" Tony asked.

"I run a school for mutants. I also am a mutant myself. I heard about your fight and how it ended. I would like to offer you a place at my school," Mr. Xavier said.

"Why? I only cause trouble, and I couldn't pay the fees anyway," Tony sighed.

"I don't demand fees of those who have no way to pay them and the more supportive parents donate as much as they are comfortable with. As for the other thing, you are a good kid, very intelligent and kind. I have faith that once you are in a supportive environment you will manage to behave," Mr. Xavier stated with conviction.

"How do I know that you're not some kind of creep that is trying to get me alone and murder me?" Tony asked.

"_If I wanted to, I could just force you to do what I whished,"_ Mr. Xavier said.

Tony shivered. The words had made their way into his brain without bothering to go by his ears.

"I can help you learn how to control your own powers," Mr. Xavier offered.

Tony thought long about this. After what seemed like an eternity he got into the car.

* * *

><p>Tony loved Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. For the first time since he was eight years old Tony felt like he had found a place where he belonged. He regretted that his time there was so short, though. Professor X demanded the best of all his students, so after only one year Tony was finished with school and had offers from many colleges. Most of them full scholarships even. Right now he was supposed to talk about his future plans with the professor.<p>

"Have you spared a thought about what you are going to do next?" Professor X asked.

"Yes. I have a plan, I think. I want to go into law enforcement," Tony answered.

"May I ask why?" Professor X replied.

"You know that we aren't treated fairly by the police. I want to change that, and the best way would be from the inside, I believe. I probably won't be able to change much, but every change starts small at first," Tony explained with conviction. Now he waited for the professor to shoot holes in his plan.

"A commendable and worthy goal. How are you going to do it?" Professor X asked.

"I will go to college first and get as many degrees as I can manage until I'm twenty-two. Then I will go to police academy and work my way up," Tony said.

"You have thought this through. I'm proud of you. Tell me once you have decided where to go, I have many contacts in academia and can put you in contact with the right people. And remember, you can come back here whenever you want or need to," Professor X replied.

Tony thanked the professor and went packing.

* * *

><p>In the following year Tony worked himself into the ground and achieved a Master's Degree in genetics as well as a Ph.D. in Psychology. In a fit of insanity he signed up for a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education, which he managed to finish as well.<p>

Then he went to police academy. That went well, too.

Once he made it into the service his luck started to run out, apparently. Career wise everything was going sort of okay. He made Detective soon enough. The only problem was that somehow he never managed to stay anywhere longer than two years.

Until he met Special Agent Gibbs and joined NCIS.

* * *

><p>Tony looked at the body. He had quite a good idea what the motive would turn out to be. The victim, a girl no older than twelve, was quite clearly a mutant. Unfortunately for her her webbed hands and gills made her unable to blend in.<p>

"Do you think this is a hate crime, boss, or a parent not able to deal?" Tony asked.

"Could be both. DiNozzo, take McGee and canvas the base. Find out if anyone knows who she is," Gibbs growled.

Tony and McGee turned up a fat load of nothing. No one had seen or heard anything or knew the girl. Some people even expressed their satisfaction that there was one less freak around. By the time they returned to the office Tony was close to tearing everything around him apart. Without using his hands. As a matter of fact a few things were vibrating and he had a hard time stopping them. McGee kept shooting him worried glances.

After Gibbs, who was about as mad as Tony, found out about their results, or lack thereof, Tony desperately needed a quiet moment to compose himself. He sighed in frustration when McGee followed him into the elevator and hit the emergency stop button.

"What do you want, McGeek?" Tony groaned.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but this case makes you angrier than normal and I noticed some weird things around you today. Are you a mutant?" McGee rushed out.

Tony sighed. Sometimes McGee was entirely to curious for his own good.

"Yes, I'm a mutant. Got a problem with that?" Tony snapped.

"No, of course not! I had a cousin who was kicked out by his parents when he developed his mutant powers. I tried to find out what happened to him, but never managed to," McGee replied.

"Sorry, Tim. But this case is really getting to me," Tony apologised.

"It's okay. I think I would react the same if it was me," McGee replied and reactivated the elevator.

The following weeks went from bad to worse. Two more battered mutants turned up, all of them younger than sixteen. They hadn't been able to identify any one of them.

And Gibbs' behaviour was puzzling. Normally he would be working them into the ground with a case like this, but this time he was sort of dragging his feet. As if he wasn't really trying and only going through the motions. Tony didn't like the implications of this.

Then they found the fourth body. This time the victim turned out to be a student at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

With her they knew all the potential places where the killer(s) could have found her and finally got their break through.

It turned out the the killers were three young marines who believed in the purity of the human race. Tony hoped they would rot in prison.

* * *

><p>Tony stumbled up to his apartment door. After this case all he wanted to do was sleep for a week. But first he would eat.<p>

He had just settled in on his sofa with some left over pizza and a cold beer when he heard a key in his apartment door.

"What do you want, Gibbs?" he called out once he was sure that the door was open.

"Care to explain what was wrong with you?" Gibbs asked heatedly.

"It was a tough case. I get angry when children are killed. End of story," Tony answered.

"That all, DiNozzo?" Gibbs growled.

"Yes," Tony snapped.

"I want to know if something is affecting my agent!" Gibbs said forcefully.

"My personal business is my own, so keep your nose out of it!" Tony shot back.

"You are out of line DiNozzo!" Gibbs shouted.

"No, you are. You are in my home, asking about things that are none of your business and insist on an answer anyway. So, either calm down or leave!" Tony hissed.

"Tell me what was wrong with you!" Gibbs yelled.

"I won't. I like you, Gibbs, don't get me wrong, but being my boss doesn't give you the right to control my private life. If you don't back off right now, I will ask the director for a transfer tomorrow. So what's it going to be?" Tony shouted.

"Are you a mutant or not?" Gibbs growled.

"What if I was? Would it matter?" Tony asked.

"Of course it does! I need to know if I can trust you!" Gibbs exclaimed.

"What?" Tony gaped.

"I can't have my agents keeping secrets from me," Gibbs said.

"You are one to talk about keeping secrets. You are a hypocritical ass sometimes. I think you should leave now," Tony replied.

Tony stared at his TV for some time, deep in thought. Then he phoned the director.

Tony wondered what the director wanted. He had said that finding a new posting for him would take two weeks at least. Tony had talked to him only four days ago.

"I was wondering why you so suddenly wanted to leave when you turned down several prestigious posts in the past. So I talked to the other members of your team. What I found out was quite disturbing, to say the least. I had my doubts about you until I finally found out first hand that you are a very talented agent. Then I found your complete academic records. I would prefer to keep you here in Washington if I can in any way manage it. So I will transfer Gibbs and promote you to his job. What do you say?" Director Vance asked.

"I'd like that. But why are you doing this?" Tony replied.

"I believe that mutants are people like everybody else. That they have the same rights like everybody else. The only reason that radical mutant right advocate exist is because we forced them into existence. The attitude Agent Gibbs displayed while working this case would be reason enough for disciplinary action if the target were anyone but mutants. As the current climate stands I can't do as much as I would like to do, but I can transfer and demote him," Director Vance explained.

"I see. Do you think that making a mutant the lead agent of the MCRT in Washington would be a strong signal in the right direction?" Tony asked.

"Yes, I think so," Director Vance answered.

"Then I accept your offer," Tony said.

* * *

><p>Charles Xavier watched the evening news and smiled. Another step towards equality.<p>

AN: Gibbs is a control freak, and the way he raked Tony last season over E.J. was way beyond the pale. Mutation is something that Gibbs can't control and has no influence on. He is also rather conservative in his views. The way I see it as possible that Gibbs would be prejudiced against mutants, but not very probable. It was fun to write it, anyway.


End file.
